A double-door safety access port for use with an automated tape library cartridge machine utilizes two doors that operate independently, but are interconnected mechanically with a latch mechanism and a self-locking gear drive arrangement to control loading and unloading of tape cartridges into the library machine. An inner door of the access port is motor-driven between two positions, an open position allowing robot access to the cartridges, and a closed position that unlatches an outer door to allow operator access to the tape cartridges. The closed position closes off the inside of the library machine to prevent any possibility of operator contact with the library robot. The self-locking gear drive arrangement allows the inner door to be moveable only by operation of a motor. This prevents any manual rotation of the inner door by an operator. Until the outer door is latched, the inner door can not be driven back to its open position.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. An access port mounted to an automated library housing for allowing insertion and removal of storage media cartridges from the library, said access port comprising: a cartridge access opening formed in the library housing; an inner door mounted adjacent the access opening on the inside of library housing; a motor coupled to the inner door to control movement of the inner door between an open position and a closed position, the motor arranged to lock in response to an external force being applied thereto to prevent movement of the inner door unless driven by the motor, an outer door mounted adjacent the access opening on the outside of the library housing; and a latch arrangement mounted to the inner and outer doors which only unlatches the outer door when the inner door is in the closed position.
2. The access port of claim 1 further comprising a stationary cartridge retainer mechanism positioned within the access opening between the inner and outer doors.
3. The access port of claim 2 wherein the stationary cartridge retainer mechanism comprises a vertical stack of cells each configured to retain a cartridge in a position for access by a robotic mechanism within the tape library.
4. The access port of claim 3 wherein the cells are arranged to receive a tape cartridge with a label side facing toward the inside of the tape library.
5. The access port of claim 2 wherein the inner door is rotatable, and the motor is arranged to control rotation between an open position to allow a robotic mechanism within the library housing access to the stationary cartridge retainer mechanism, and a closed position to provide a barrier between the access opening and the inside of the library housing.
6. The access port of claim 1 wherein the latch arrangement comprises a latch pull connected to a latch lock mounted to the inner door, said latch pull arranged to pull the latch out of engagement with a latch mount to an inner surface of the outer door when the inner door is in the closed position.
7. The access port of claim 6 wherein the latch arrangement further comprises a latch trigger mounted to the inner door and positioned to engage the latch pull as the inner door move s into the closed position.
8. A method for controlling access to a cartridge retainer mechanism positioned within an access opening in an automated cartridge library housing for allowing insertion and removal of cartridges from the library, the library including an inner door mounted adjacent the access opening on the inside of library housing, and an outer door mounted adjacent the access opening on the outside of the library housing, said method comprising: selectively operating a motorized drive to move the inner door to either an open position which allows a robotic mechanism within the library housing access to the cartridge retainer mechanism, or a closed position which provides a barrier between the access opening and the inside of the library housing; preventing movement of the inner door by locking the motorized drive in response to an external force applied thereto; latching the outer door in a closed position when the inner door is not in a closed position to prevent the outer door from being moved into an open position; and unlatching the outer door only when the inner door is in the closed position.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
November 5, 1999
February 12, 2002
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